A Case Report of a Capgras’ Syndrome in Elderly

Abstract

Introduction

Capgras syndrome is the most frequent delusional misidentification syndrome (DMS) which was first described in 1923 by Capgras and Reboul-Lachaux as ‘L’illusion des sosies’. Consists of believe that close relatives have been replaced by nearly identical impostors. It can occur in the context of psychiatric disorders (schizophrenia, major depression) such organic, in which onset of delirium is usually later coinciding with neurological damage or neurodegenerative disease.

Case report

Woman 73-year-old diagnosed of schizophrenia since more than thirty years ago. Her family talk about general impairment of the patient in the last two years. She needed a couple of psychiatric hospitalizations because of her psychiatric disease, and probably onset of cognitive impairment. In this context, we objectified the presence of a Capgras syndrome.

Objectives

To review the literature available about Capgras syndrome in elderly and illustrate it with a clinical case.

Methods

Review of literature about Capgras syndrome in elderly by searching of articles in the PubMed database of the last five years to illustrate the exposure of a single case report.

Results

The etiology of this syndrome is not yet well understood. Advanced age is frequently found Capgras syndrome with or without the concomitant presence of an obvious cognitive impairment.

Conclusions

Since it is a complex process an etiological model that combines cognitive and perceptual deficits, organic impairment and psychodynamic factors should be proposed. And it is important to make a correct differential diagnosis that allows us to carry out the best possible treatment.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.